Miranda Lambert Will Never Record a Christmas Album . . . Thanks to Blake Shelton!

MIRANDA LAMBERT is one of the performers on BLAKE SHELTON'S holiday special "Not So Family Christmas", which airs December 3rd on NBC. During the taping she was asked if she'll ever record a holiday album, and she shut that door hard.  She said, quote, "I will never do a Christmas album because Blake wears me out with Christmas music. "He listens to it all year round. I love Christmas music and Christmas, but Blake does enough for both of us." Miranda also thinks the season is too commercialized. She added, quote, "They start playing Christmas music before Halloween. By the time it gets here, I'm over it. I get burnt out. "

Jennifer Nettles Announces Lineup and Charity Component for This Year's CMA Country Christmas.

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland returns as host of the CMA Country Christmas special again this year.  The show will tape November 3 in Nashville and air this holiday season on ABC. Along with performances from Jennifer, the show lineup also includes Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, The Band Perry and Keith Urban. Pop star Colbie Caillat, R&B singer John Legend and Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins are also on the bill. Fans attending the show taping are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys for underprivileged children in the Nashville area this holiday season too. Jennifer says, "It is such a joy to watch this holiday special grow -- in not only its talent roster, but moreover in its charitable celebration of the season." Jennifer will also be very pregnant when the show tapes November. She's expecting her first child later that month, so don't expect her to dance like she did on last year's CMA Country Christmas. "It will be slower this year," Jennifer says with a laugh, "but you know what, it will be just as celebratory and just as fun for me." Jennifer's also thinking about her on camera wardrobe for the show. "You think, 'Alright, what am I going to be able to move in?' What's going to look halfway flattering, you hope, especially on television." If anything, this year's CMA Country Christmas will give Jennifer a chance to really document the time she was pregnant as part of a highly-produced TV special. She says, "When else is the timing, who knows if it will ever coincide in the same way again, and I think that's obviously, personally, I'm saying that's very special." We'll let you know once ABC announces an airdate for the CMA Country Christmas special.

Blake Shelton's Cheers, It's Christmas Features Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Reba, Michael Buble and Blake's Mother.

Blake Shelton's new holiday album, Cheers, It's Christmas, is in stores this week featuring guest appearances from his wife Miranda Lambert and her group Pistol Annies as well as from Kelly Clarkson and his mother Dorothy.  Blake also wanted to record a song with Reba on the album about their shared home state of Oklahoma at Christmastime.  The only problem with that was Blake didn't know any songs about an Oklahoma holiday.That's when his bass player Rob, his fiddle player Jenee and another songwriter friend Trent set out to write one. Blake says, "The three of 'em sat down, and a couple of weeks later I got an email from Rob that said, 'Listen to this.' And they had written this song called 'Oklahoma Christmas.'" Blake loved the song, which includes a lot of inside references for his fellow Oklahomans.
"Being born and raised in Oklahoma, I could not have written that song any better myself," Blake says.  "I mean, there's a lot of inside jokes and things that you'd have to be from Oklahoma to even understand."
Blake also includes a duet version of "Home" with Michael Buble on Cheers, It's Christmas.

Blake Shelton to Release Cheers It's Christmas on October 2!

Blake Shelton will release his first holiday album, Cheers It's Christmas, on October 2, and he's lined up an eclectic array of guest stars for the project. Joining him for duets on the album will be his buddy Reba, pop crooner Michael Buble, who will mentor Blake's team on the upcoming season of The Voice. And, most surprisingly, his mother. Blake and his mom, Dorothy Shackleford, co-wrote a song called "Time for Me to Come Home" for the project, and the two perform it as a duet. As for his duet with Michael, it's a reworking of "Home," which Michael co-wrote and scored a hit with, and that Blake subsequently took to the top of the charts. Blake's duet with Reba on the project, meanwhile, will mark the first time the two have ever performed on a disc together. In addition to the aforementioned tracks, the songs on Cheers It's Christmas include classic holiday songs, which Blake recorded with a full orchestra at Capitol Records' legendary studios.

Blake Shelton and The Voice Coaches Do Battle in New Promo; Blake to Announce Christmas Album Details Monday!

The Voice returns on September 10, and in a new promo, Blake Shelton and his fellow coaches prove they'll stop at nothing to discover a new and exciting talent. It actually pretty funny...especially when you find out whos "Voice" they're chasing after in the promo! In other Blake news, he will reveal details on his upcoming Christmas album Monday. Look for Blake to talk about the holiday offering on E!'s Chelsea Lately that night.

"A Christmas Story" is Our Favorite Holiday Movie and "The Grinch" is Our Favorite Holiday Special.

Harris Interactive just conducted a huge holiday poll. Here are some of the results:
Favorite Christmas Movie: "A Christmas Story" . . . but not by much. 20% of people chose that one, while 19% went with "It's A Wonderful Life", which NBC is airing on Christmas Eve this year. TBS will have your hookup for "A Christmas Story". Favorite Christmas Special: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". This is the animated version, not the JIM CARREY movie. It was chosen by 23% of respondents. This was another close one. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" got 22%. Sadly, I must report that there was very little love for my personal favorite, "The Year Without a Santa Claus". It finished in 5th place with only 3% of the vote. Have you no love for Heat Miser and Snow Miser? The Holiday Song People Most Look Forward to Hearing is "White Christmas". Followed by "Silent Night" and "Oh Holy Night". The Holiday Song People Want to Go Away is "Jingle Bells". Followed by "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". No percentages were given for the songs.

Country Stars Share Their Favorite Christmas Memories...

One of the interesting segments of last night's "CMA Country Christmas" was when the artists shared their favorite holiday memories. Here are a few of them...

VINCE GILL remembered how his sister would open gifts before Christmas Day and then re-wrap them without getting caught. He said, quote, "She was good at acting surprised at what she got." Vince's wife AMY GRANT talked about when her cat found her gift live gerbils. Quote, "We're sitting around, all fuzzy feeling, then all of a sudden, I'm going, 'What is that crunching sound under the tree?' It was my big present . . .the gerbils!"

One of KELLIE PICKLER'S favorite holiday memories was visiting the troops in Iraq. She said, quote, "There are so many things we take for granted. We don't realize it until it's not there anymore . . . until that luxury, that freedom, is not there."

KEITH URBAN is from Australia, where it's currently summer. He said, quote, "Christmas was always about going to the beach. And my fondest Christmas memory is about getting in the station wagon with my mom, dad, my brother, and me, and going to the beach for the day."

Country Photos: Taylor Swift Is All About Christmas...

Now that her massively successful "Speak Now" tour is over, TAYLOR SWIFT is relaxing and getting into the Christmas spirit. In the past four days, she's Tweeted photos of Christmas trees, how winter makes her want to bake, and how she and her friends like to make homemade snow globes. Check out the pics Taylor tweeted...

Big Machine Records Teams With Colonial Candle Company For Holiday CD + Candle!

Yuletide cheer is coming and you can spread a little thanks to a cool, Christmas promotion featuring your favorite country superstars. Big Machine Records and Colonial Candle have partnered just in time for the holiday season. An all-star lineup of country artists singing their favorite Christmas carols – coupled with the magical scent of a yuletide fire and fresh cut pine – provides a perfect transition into the holiday season. The new luxury boxed gift set features an exclusive holiday CD packaged with an 8-ounce Colonial Candle "Holiday Sparkle"-fragranced candle. Suggested retail price for the gift set is $25. It's beginning to sound and smell a lot like Christmas thanks to this set!

Click Here to see the artist line up!

Top 10 Best And Worst Christmas TV Specials

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 10 BEST AND WORST CHRISTMAS TV SPECIALS!